With the Ludhiana municipal corporation (MC) failing to implement proper solid waste management measures in the city, the monitoring committee of National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to impose bank guarantees on the civic body.
The guarantees will be encashed if the MC fails to complete the solid waste management projects within the set deadline.
The decision was taken during the review meeting conducted by the monitoring committee of NGT on Monday through video conferencing and further deadlines have been set for completing activities including source segregation of waste and treatment of legacy waste.
As per sources, bank guarantee of ₹5 lakh has been imposed for failure to complete door-to-door collection of waste/garbage, ₹5 lakh for failure to construct boundary wall and establish green belt around Tajpur road main dump site and ₹5 lakh for failing to start treatment of over 20-lakh tone legacy waste at the main dump site.
Also, a bank guarantee of ₹7 lakh has been imposed for failure to upgrade sewer treatment plants required to deal with the Buddha Nullah pollution.
PPCB superintending engineer Sandep Bahl said, “Apart from bank guarantees imposed on the MC, the monitoring committee has also directed PPCB to act against the A2Z company which has failed to dispose off/treat waste generated in the city. An environmental compensation will also be imposed on the company. A bank guarantee of ₹1 lakh has also been imposed on Khanna municipal committee for failure to deal with solid waste properly.”
{{/usCountry}}PPCB superintending engineer Sandep Bahl said, “Apart from bank guarantees imposed on the MC, the monitoring committee has also directed PPCB to act against the A2Z company which has failed to dispose off/treat waste generated in the city. An environmental compensation will also be imposed on the company. A bank guarantee of ₹1 lakh has also been imposed on Khanna municipal committee for failure to deal with solid waste properly.”
{{/usCountry}}Member of monitoring committee and environmentalist, Balbir Singh Seechewal, said, “The bank guarantees have been imposed as the MC has failed to complete solid waste management projects. MC officials claim that the projects have been delayed to the pandemic. A report regarding the present status will be submitted with the NGT by the monitoring committee.”
Earlier, the NGT had ordered that a penalty of ₹10 lakh per month to be imposed on the MC if it fails to implement solid waste management by March 31, 2020.